Easy gluten free cake, perfectly spiced, with juicy apples in every bite!
As much as I delight in long, sunny, warm summers, and carefree days spent on the beach, as soon as September’s crisp mornings roll around, I eagerly take them as my permission to start baking with autumn flavors, even if it is still 84 degrees by noon. Fall baking showcases the best of the season, and is one of the most comforting ways to spend an afternoon when the weather starts to turn chilly!
My favorite fall desserts usually involve pumpkin anything, until I started playing around with apple cake recipes. Now, I’m torn! This spiced gluten free apple cake could definitely pose a challenge to any ol’ pumpkin bread! It’s moist, studded with juicy apple chunks, and filled with warm cinnamon and caramel notes. Plus, it packs in some decent protein from the almond, teff, and chickpea flours, in addition to the yogurt and eggs. It’s also not overly sweet, which makes for a good excuse to eat it for breakfast or when you’re feeling peckish around 3 o’clock. Of course, if you’re looking for an apple cake to serve for dessert, this recipe is a great option drizzled with a little caramel sauce or glaze, dusted with powdered sugar, or topped with a scoop of ice cream. Now I’m hungry! 🙂
This gluten free apple cake couldn’t be easier to whip up! There’s no need for an electric mixer. The wet ingredients are simply stirred into the dry ingredients. It’s only one layer. It can be eaten warm, which is lucky for you because baking this cake sends tantalizing smells through the entire house. And it can be ready in under an hour, including the bake time.
Let’s chat about ingredients!
Almond Flour - Use almond flour as opposed to almond meal, which is coarser and denser.
Teff Flour - Gluten free flour and a staple in Ethiopia. It has an incredible amount of nutrients, such as protein, iron, and fiber, and also has a lower glycemic index than most grains. It can be found at health food stores or online. Teff provides much of the nutty taste and hints of caramel flavor in this cake!
Millet Flour - Subtle flavor, perfect texture for gluten free baking. I love Bob’s Red Mill brand!
Chickpea Flour - Helps ensure that the crumb remains tender and lends a nutty taste.
Tapioca Starch - Works with the flour combination to produce a cake-like texture.
Xanthan Gum - Helps make a cohesive crumb in the absence of gluten!
Baking Soda and Baking Powder - Work to create the rise!
Cinnamon, Salt, and Vanilla - Provide flavor!
Brown Sugar - Adds sweetness with caramel undertones.
Apple Butter - Use homemade or store bought. In a pinch, substitute cinnamon applesauce, but apple butter is richer, more flavorful, and a bit thicker.
Eggs - Use regular size. You can try subbing flax eggs, but the texture of the cake is a bit denser.
Yogurt - Use a yogurt with a Greek yogurt consistency. If you sub with non-dairy, use a thicker style like Forager brand. I actually tried it with blended cottage cheese. It added a lovely tang! I preferred it for the flavor, but it is heavier so the crumb was a tad gummy.
Milk - Use dairy or non-dairy.
Apples - Use whichever variety you like, whether they be sweet or tart. I like to use one sweeter apple, like Cosmic Crisp or Honeycrisp and one more tart apple, such as Granny Smith.
Any leftovers should be refrigerated as the cake is very moist and can go bad quickly left at room temperature. Slices can also be frozen and reheated whenever that darn “cake mood” strikes!
LOVE GLUTEN FREE CAKE?! Try this Gluten Free Lemon Snack Cake or this super speedy Almond Flour Chocolate Mug Cake!
SPICED GLUTEN FREE APPLE CAKE (GF, VG, SD, DF option)
Yield: one 8x8 cake
What You'll Need:
1 cup almond flour
½ cup teff flour
¼ cup chickpea flour
½ cup millet flour
¼ cup tapioca starch
½ tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ cup apple butter
½ cup Greek yogurt
3 eggs
¼ cup pure maple syrup
2 tbsp brown sugar
¼ cup milk
2 small-medium apples, peeled and chopped into small chunks (should be about 2 cups)
How To Make it
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. While the oven preheats, whisk together the first 10 ingredients in a large bowl. (the flours through the cinnamon)
2. In a separate medium bowl, whisk the remaining ingredients (except the apple chunks) together until smooth.
3. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir until there are no pockets of flour remaining.
4. Stir in the apple chunks, and let the batter sit while you prepare the pan. Grease an 8x8 baking dish with oil. Pour the batter into the dish and spread it evenly.
5. Bake until nicely browned and a toothpick comes out clean, about 35-40 minutes. Gluten free cakes often look done on top before they are cooked thoroughly. If the top is only lightly browned, give it a few more minutes! If you don’t care about your cake being pretty, you can also lift the crust of the cake in one area to peep at the crumb below to make sure it isn’t still wet.
6. Let the cake cool slightly before slicing. If it’s too warm, it may fall apart slightly, but don’t worry! It will still be a delicious first taste of autumn! 🙂
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Abby
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